Abstract:

Wolfgang Mozart's four concertos and Concert Rondo for solo horn are some of the best-known and beloved works of the horn repertoire. Wolfgang Mozart's father, Leopold Mozart, also wrote a few pieces featuring horns. Wolfgang Mozart's son, Franz Xaver Mozart, was not prolific, and he did not write any works featuring solo horn, but he did write a chamber work that included two horns. This recital demonstrates, through selected movements from the horn works of Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Mozart, and Franz Xaver Mozart, their varying styles of writing for horn. The lecture also discusses some principles of horn playing during the early Classical and Classical eras, and briefly explores the relationships between the fathers and sons.